Biography

Carter, Ray I. [1stLt FL F-51 67thFBS5thAF]

(1) Enclosed for appropriate action is copy of the report of investigation of violation of the Manchurian border by two F-51 a/c of the 5th AF on
27 Aug 50. The investigation reveals that the border was violated and that the leading airplane of the flight fired on an airstrip southwest of
Antung, Manchuria. The investigation was confined to establishing the truth or falsity of the allegation. There are many questions left unanswered as to the contributing causes of this incident which I am sure you will want to check and eliminate in present and future operations. (2) I do not wish to dictate the corrective action that should be taken as a result of this case. You are well aware of the seriousness of the violation. I consider that the lack of judgment on the part of the
flight leader, 1st Lt Ray I. Carter, war- rants careful consideration by a Flying Evaluation Board. (3) In reading the report, I find several serious deficiencies in operational procedures.

On same subject as above, the following was dispatched to
Vandenberg: (1) Per statement made in my radio AO 233 CG, I am inclosing, herewith, a report of the investigation of the Manchurian incident. (See Inclosure No. 1). The investigation definitely shows that two of our F-51s of the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter Bomber Group, 6002d Fighter Bomber Wing,
now designated as the 6002d Fighter Bomber Wing, did, in the late afternoon of 27 August 1950, violate Manchurian territory by flying over the Manchurian border and the lead airplane fired on an airstrip just southwest of Antung, Manchuria. (2) The investigation discloses that both pilots involved had had combat experience in ETO and had flown combat missions in Korea prior to this incident.